Igniter



Nov. 14, 1933. F. R. BELT 1,934,908

IGNITER Filed May 14, 1933.

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Patented Nov. i4, 1933 ,Unirse STATES PATE NT OFFICE y'1,934,908 IGNITERFreo nnen, chicago, 111. l Application May 1931. Serial No. 537,235n 6oisans.- (oi. 21e-32) rIhis invention` relatesto ignitersandparticularly to that type used by smokers to ignitecigars,cigarettes-andthe like. j

It is among the objects of my invention to provide lan electricallyheated igniter which will ber rendered operative as soon as it is liftedfrom the support on which it normally rests; which will ,embody aheating element that may be easily installed andremoved; which will beAequipped with a safety device to prevent inadvertent opera- -tionthereof; and which will beisimple and economical in construction andpositive` in opera-4 tion. l i

' In the selected embodiment of the invention illustrated in theaccompanying drawing Fig. 1 is atop plan View; I

Fig. 2 isa vertical sectional View taken substantially on the line 2-2on Figi; i

Fig.f3 isa horizontal sectional view `taken suhstantiallyV on the line3-3 on 2; and

`Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 'on Fig. 2. .-5 The'igniter illustrated in accompanying drawingincludes a tubular casing 5 of insulating material, as for exarnplethatknown `as bakelite, and has a bore 5 slightly enlargedy at one end asindicated at 7, and the casing includesa peripheralbead 8 adjacent thisenlarged portion of the bore. The opposite end'oi the bore is slightlyenlarged as indicated at 9 to receive the upstand# ing collar l0, andthe casing 5 is joinedv to this collar by suitable fastening devicessuch-fasl ythe screws 11.j The collar lo is integral with the base l2having a hollow interior 13 below the horizontal wall 14 thereof.Depending from the wall 14 is a hollow neck 15 which terminates inwardlyof the bottom or the lease. A here 16 is provided in the neck 15 andincludes an enlarged portion 17 dening a shoulder 13. A plunger' 19 ofinsulating material is mounted in the bore 16 and fast to one endthereof is a cap 20. A spring 13 is arranged in the enlarged portion 17oi the bore 16 between the shoulder 13 and the inner end of the cap tothereby urge the plunger 19 outwardly into the dotteddine position ofFig. 2. Fast to the inner end of the plunger 19 and or a diameterslightly greater than the diameter of said plunger is a contact 21.Mounted on the inner end of the collar 1G is a plate 22 oi" insulatingmaterial carrying a contact plate 23 having a medial opening thereinthrough which the plunger 19 is extended. A conductor 25 is fast to acontact lug 26 on the contact plate 23. When v the base 12 is rested ona suitable support, the

. outer end of the cap 20 also engages this support and forces theplunger 19 inwardly against `the action of the spring 18 and disposesthe contact 21 in the full-line position of Fig. 2 whereat it is out ofengagement with the contact plate 23. However, whenthe device is liftedfrom the support, the spring 18 expands and moves the cap 20 into thedotted-line position of Fig. 2 to thereby move the contact 21 intoengagement with the Contact 23. Locatedsubstantially medially in theextent of the bore 6 is a rib 24 having a central opening 27 therein.The upper edge `of the rib 24 is recessed to receive the lower end of ascrew socket 28. vA washer 29 of insulating material rests on the lowerwall of the socket 28 and is engaged by the head o1" ascrew 30 passedthrough an opening therein and an opening in the lower wall of thesocket 28. The screw also extends through the opening 27 and into a tube31 depending below the rib 24. The screw 30 serves to clamp the socket28 and the tube 31 in position and the washer 29 insulates the screwfrom the socket. A conductor 32 extends `through an opening 33 in therib 24. and is fast to the socket 28. In the tube 31 is a plunger 34which rests on the contact 21 and said plunger is slidable in said tube.The plunger therefore follows the contact 21 as it moves downwardly withthe plunger 19 and when the contact 21 engages the rcontact strip 23circuit is closedv to the screw 30 through the plunger 34 and tube 31.An igniter element 35 includes a screw base 36 having a contact 37 atthe lower end thereof which, when the screw base is arranged in thescrew socket 28, engages the head ofthe screw 30.' OneA end of theelectrical unitin the element- 35` is, connected to thecon.- 90

tacty 37 and the other end thereof is connected to the conductiveportion of the screw base 36. The conductors 35 and 32 are directed to asuitable source of electric current but circuit to the element 35 is notclosed until the contact 21 95 engages the contact plate 23. gages thiscontact plate 23 as soon as the device is lifted from the support onwhich it is rested. However, should the device be inverted or should itbe inadvertently knocked over, the plunger 34 will move through the tube31 and will disengage the contact 21 to thereby open the circuit, andthis arrangement provides a safety to thereby prevent inadvertentoperation of the igniter.

Since the element 35 is detachably arranged in position withthevperipheral edge thereof in the enlarged portion 7 of the bore 6,installation and removal thereof is facilitated and consequently shouldthe element burn out it may be readily removed and replaced.Furthermore, the

This contact eni switch arrangement provided is positively operated tothereby insure good contact. Furthermore a safety device is providedwhich will prevent inadvertent operation, but it is to be understoodthat this safety device may be omitted and direct, yieldable connectionestablished between the contact 21 and the screw 30. These advantagesare inherent in the illustrated structure, but it is to be understoodthat changes and alterations might be made therein and I therefore donot wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire toavail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the ambit ofthe following claims:

I claim:

1. An igniter including a casing, an `igniter element removably mountedat one end of said casing, a switch structure at the other rend 4of saidcasing adapted to control operation of said element and including aspring-urged plunger having a contact at one end thereof, a contactmember engageable with Vsaid contact when said plunger is moved in onedirection by the spring acting thereon, a sleeve electrically connectedto said element, and a member slidably mounted in said sleeve andresting on said plunger and establishing electrical connection :betweensaid sleeve and said plungensaid member being movable relative `to saidplunger when said igniter is-inverted to open the circuit betweensaidsleeve and said plunger to prevent inadvertent operation of saidigniter. 2. An igniter including a casing having an igniter element atone end thereof, a slidable plunger at the other end of said casing,a-contact plate, a contact carried by said plunger, a spring acting onsaid plunger to urge the same in one direction to move said contact intoengagement with saidcontact `plate toclose a circuit to saidigniterelement, and a follower for said plunger slidably mounted in saidigniter and releasably engaging said plunger and adapted to open thecircuit to said element to `prevent inadvertent operation -thereof whensaid igniter is upset.

3. An igniter including a casing, an igniter element at one end ofsaid'casing, a switch structure at the other end of said casingforcontrolling the operation of said element, and meansincluding a`member for electrically connecting said switch structure and saidelement, said member being movable relative to said element `andreleasably engaging said switch structure andbeing adapted to disengagesaid switch structure to open the electric circuit between said switchstructure and said element when said igniter is upset.

4. An igniter including a casing having an igniter element at one endthereof, a contact plate at the other end of said casing, a spring-urgedplunger having a contact at one end thereof adapted to engage saidcontact plate when said plunger is moved by the spring acting thereon,and a freely slidable member connecting said contact to one terminal ofsaid element, said member being movable independently of said contact`and plunger whereby circuit to said element may be opened bydisengagement of said member from said contact when said igniter is'upset to thereby prevent undesired operation of said element.

5. An igniter including a casing having an igniter element at one endthereof, a slidable plunger at the other end of said element, a spring'acting on said plunger to urge the same outwardly with respect to saidcasing, a contact plate, a contact carried by said plunger andengageable with Asaid contact .plate when said plunger is moved fby thespring kacting thereon, a guide, a member freely slidable insaid guideand having one end thereof rested on said contact ywhereby circuit maybeclosed to `said element from said contact through said member .andguide, said member .being vmovable .from `engagement wth said .contactlwhen said igniter `is upset to open Athe circuit `to 4said element toprevent undesirld operation of said element.

6. An igniter including a-casing having a hure therein Vand a ribextending `across said bore, ya socket mounted on one side of said riband in said bore, a tube in said bore on the other-side of said rib,means extending through said rib to secure said socket and said `tube insaid-casing, an figniter element mounted in said socket, a plungerslidably mountedat-the end of saidbon opposite said socket, springactingom said plunger to urge an end thereof outwardly of theadjacent-end of said casing,valeontact plate, a-,contact carriedby saidplungerand disengaged from said contact plate until said plungerisrmovod by the spring acting thereon tohave an'end thereof extending'beyond theadjacentend of saidcasmg, and a member slidably mountedinsaidtube and releasably engaging said contact to `:be yrrurvnbletherewith, said member -disengaging said contact when said igniter isupset to interrupt electricaleonnection between said tube andsoidfcontact to prevent undesired operation of said igniter element.

FRED R. BELT.

